Graduation Year

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.

Degree Granting Department

Physics

Major Professor

Nicholas Djeu, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Dennis K. Killinger, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Myung K. Kim, Ph.D.

Keywords

Waveguides, Photonics, Optics, Telecommunications, Polymer

Abstract

Dispensed organic polymer optical waveguides suitable for single-mode operation were recently fabricated. Different dispensing pressures, polymers, and dispensing tips were used in the drawing method.

The waveguides were measured to be approximately 16[mu] wide and 0.8[mu] tall. This is significantly smaller than previously reported dimensions of 300[mu] x 3.5[mu] waveguides fabricated with a similar dispensed polymer method. The waveguides were also found to be suitable for single-mode operation through a series of approximate calculations . This is also something previously not achieved with the larger waveguides.

This novel approach to waveguide fabrication could reduce the expense and time of creating single mode waveguides for rapid development applications. It will also allow the waveguides to be fabricated to be flexible as well as doped to be active devices.

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